The death of a loved one is undoubtedly the most traumatic event we experience in life. By doing your research, making informed choices and planning ahead, you can reduce the burden on your family and control funeral costs.
The Cemetery and Funeral Bureau licenses, inspects and regulates funeral establishments throughout the state. The Bureau also investigates complaints from consumers and takes disciplinary action when it determines necessary.
Board of Registration of Funeral Directors and Embalmers
The Board of Registration of Funeral Directors and Embalmers is a governmental agency that regulates the funeral profession. It licenses embalmers, undertakers and funeral directors and imposes minimum standards for professional conduct and competency.
The board also inspects funeral homes and chapels. The bureau takes disciplinary action against licensees who do not meet the board’s standards for practice.
To apply for a funeral director or embalmer license in Florida, an applicant must complete an internship at a licensed funeral establishment. During this residency, the applicant must complete and handle 40 cases that demonstrate his or her ability to perform funeral directing functions.
Applicants must pass both the written and clinical examinations. After completion of the residency, the applicant will be issued a license.
The board is a governmental agency that regulates funeral directing and embalming in the state of North Carolina. It issues licenses to embalmers and funeral directors, and takes disciplinary action against those who fail to comply with its regulations.
Board of Funeral Services
The board licenses morticians, funeral directors, apprentices, surviving spouses of licensed funeral home owners, and funeral establishments. It enforces standards for the funeral profession, investigates complaints, and takes disciplinary action when necessary.
For your own protection, always meet with a licensed mortician or funeral director to make funeral arrangements for a loved one. The death of a loved one is a difficult time, but making the right arrangements can help ease the burden on survivors.
Continuing education is an important way to stay up-to-date on changes in the industry and to learn about the latest advances in technology. It also helps you to be confident in your ability to provide professional and compassionate care for families during a time of need.
After completing an ABFSE accredited mortuary science or funeral service program, you may apply for a license from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards. You will take the National Board Examination (NBE) – Arts and/or Sciences – depending on your license type.
State Board of Funeral Directors
The State Board of Funeral Directors is responsible for licensing, inspecting and regulating all people who conduct the business of funeral directing or embalming in this state. The board is charged with ensuring that licensed professionals and businesses provide high quality services to the public at reasonable prices and are in compliance with all laws governing the practice of funeral directing.
In 1949, the General Assembly enacted legislation to create the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors. The board consisted of seven members, five of which had to be licensed embalmers and one public member who was appointed by the Governor.
In 1983, the legislature restructured the Board’s membership to make it a “funeral service” licensing board. The Board maintained a seven-member composition, but the Board also dropped the title of “embalmer” from its membership.
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is a principal department within the state executive branch that oversees professional licensing, employment, construction, and commerce. Its bureaus, agencies and commissions provide a streamlined, simple, fair, efficient and effective system for regulating the public safety and welfare of Michigan’s citizens, at the same time protecting business growth and job creation.
The funeral bureau licenses and regulates the practice of mortuary science and oversees pre-paid funeral contracts. It also investigates complaints of improper body disposal and prepaid funeral violations.
Compassion Funeral Home and Cremation Service, in Detroit, was fined by the Board of Examiners in Mortuary Science (BEMS) for multiple violations of state law. The Board also revoked the license of manager John N. Olszewski, Jr.
The bureau also inspected the crematorium in May and discovered that Gregory N. Langeland, the respondent’s owner, supervised and managed it without a crematory license. He must now stop operating until he obtains one.